As part of the Puccini festival, the Hungarian State Opera is giving Pussini's La Rondine its first Hungarian staging since it was first presented in this country in 1927 at the City Theatre, in a production directed by Ferenc Anger being mounted in partnership with the Hungarian Opera of Kolozsvár (Cluj-Napoca).

Having celebrated the Puccini anniversaries, with its new season the Hungarian State Opera will introduce the 52nd International Eucharistic Congress that is to take place in Budapest in 2020. The Opera announces its Christian Spirit Season as a monumental prologue to this significant event. At the Erkel Theatre and the newly opened Eiffel Art Studios, productions are to be staged that have either been inspired by biblical stories, or those that convey Christian ideas and values in more indirect ways, but also ones which debate them.

Oh, my God! – is what the astonished audience might have said seeing George Balanchine’s and Harald Lander’s innovative choreographies when they were first performed. The OMG dance show of the Hungarian National Ballet pays tribute to the work of the two choreographers, evoking the era between 1947 and 1950 with three pieces from the oeuvres of the two masters.

The Opera House in Budapest is currently undergoing extensive restoration and modernisation. Until its reopening in 2020, our performances can be seen at the Erkel Theatre, the second venue of the Hungarian State Opera.

Having celebrated the Puccini anniversaries, with its new season the Hungarian State Opera will introduce the 52nd International Eucharistic Congress that is to take place in Budapest in 2020. The Opera announces its Christian Spirit Season as a monumental prologue to this significant event. At the Erkel Theatre and the newly opened Eiffel Art Studios, productions are to be staged that have either been inspired by biblical stories, or those that convey Christian ideas and values in more indirect ways, but also ones which debate them.

The Hungarian State Opera offers a wide range of subscriptions for its 2019/20 Christian Spirit Season. The names of subscriptions for the 2019/20 seasons have changed, but their code numbers remain the same. This years' subscriptions have been named after artists who have been awarded the Kossuth Prize, named Chamber Singer, Étoile, or Chamber Artist, and take an active part in productions of the institute as singers, dancers, musicians, creative artists or consultants.

The Opera House in Budapest is currently undergoing extensive restoration and modernisation. Until its reopening in 2020, our performances can be seen at the Erkel Theatre, the second venue of the Hungarian State Opera.

Events

Puccini's imagination was captivated by the love story of Manon Lescaut and the Chevalier des Grieux, in which the protagonists defy social norms and the accepted moral law in order to be with each other, as a similar tale of passion had taken place in the composer's own life: his affair with Elvira Bonturi, a liaison that stirred enormous emotions in him but which, owing to the strictness of Italian law, could not become an official marriage, filled his life. More than one associate tried to talk him out of using the subject, not only because of his own personal proximity to it, but because of the tremendous success of Massenet's own Manon as well. Fortunately, however, Puccini could not be swayed, and his first nationwide success was born, which was soon conquering stages all over the world.

The audience will get to see this work once again, this time in a production directed by Máté Szabó.

Act 1
In one of the squares of the French city of Amiens, the student and budding poet Edmondo and his companions are getting ready for their usual evening revelry. His friend des Grieux is not joining the young people in their fun. A vehicle arrives bearing interesting passengers: an older powerful lord named Geronte and a former soldier named Lescaut, who is escorting his beautiful younger sister, Manon, to a convent. Des Grieux immediately falls in love with the girl and starts up a conversation with her. Lescaut, however, wishes to obtain the support of Geronte, in exchange for which he is willing to offer up his sister. Instead of making the transaction, though, the old gentleman plans to abduct Manon. Edmondo, however, overhears Geronte and warns des Grieux, who ends up fleeing to Paris together with the girl. Lescaut reassures the old lord that this affair will not last long and that he will soon regain Manon for him. Act 2 Lescaut has proved correct: Manon has abandoned the penniless des Grieux without so much as a farewell and is now living a sumptuous lifestyle in Geronte’s Paris home. She is bored, though, and thinks nostalgically about her time with the student. Geronte sends Manon a madrigal chorus as a gift. When he arrives with his old friends, Manon sings and dances for them. After the guests depart, Manon promises Geronte that she will join him soon, but suddenly des Grieux appears in her room: he has been searching for Manon. The lovers are reunited in blazing love. Geronte catches them and threatens them, before departing. Lescaut rushes in to warn them that Geronte intends to have Manon arrested, so they must flee. The girl attempts to gather up her jewellery to take with them, but this delay prevents them from escaping: they are arrested.

Intermezzo Through des Grieux’s thoughts, the story of Manon’s arrest and how she has been taken to Le Havre is revealed. Act 3 A prison in the port of Le Havre. It is dawn. Des Grieux is in the area around the prison waiting for an opportunity to speak with Manon. Lescaut bribes a guard, and the two young lovers are able to meet again, through the prison bars. Meanwhile, Lescaut organises a team to free Manon. This attempt to get her out also fails, and shots ring out. The people of the city gather to watch the loose women banished to America as they are called aboard the ship. The despairing des Grieux threatens the ship captain to let Manon go, but he is disarmed. The captain eventually takes pity on the lovers and allows des Grieux to stay on the ship as a sailor.

Act 4 The desert. Des Grieux and Manon are nearly out of strength, and the latter collapses from thirst and exhaustion. Des Grieux leaves to find the water that will save Manon’s life. When he returns, the dying woman is able to tell him, with a final sigh, that she loves him.